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Parked For 34 Years: 1969 Plymouth Road Runner

A couple of weeks back, I wrote a piece on a very perforated ’69 Plymouth Roadrunner convertible. The draw there was the fact that it was a convertible and that’s a very small production volume model for Plymouth that year. Well, I think I found its more commonly found two-door hardtop sibling; it’s quite similar in many ways. It is located in Bedminster, Pennsylvania and available here on Facebook Marketplace for a price of $4,900. Thanks to Gus B. for this tip!

Hard to know where to start with this one. The seller claims it to be in “Fair” condition per the listing. I’d move it a notch to the left and flag it as “Poor”. It has a lot of rust; hood, quarters, fenders, trunk floor, and interior floors. While the listing claims that the “frame and rails” are good, I would want a real up-close look at them as well as the entire underside of this Road Runner. I would imagine with as much disappearing real estate that is observable, coupled with the tendency for Plymouths of this era to rust, there’s more adversity going on underneath than one may suspect. The body appears to be still wearing its original “Vitamin C” finish but there is a lot of surface rust, and more, that has bled through in multiple places. All of this said the body of this Road Runner car does appear to be straight. There are no references made to the interior and no images available but you can probably conjure up a pretty good idea of what you might find.

This Road Runner is advertised as a “Real Deal” example with a 383 CI V8 engine and a four-speed transmission. The listing, however, contradicts that claim by stating that this car currently has a “400m/Auto trans”. I have no idea what that means. There is a GM Turbo-Hydramatic 400 automatic transmission but this Plymouth would have had an A-727 TorqueFlite three-speed automatic or that would have been the logical swap. Who knows, that’s an item that will require an inquiry. Any suggestions as to a transmission decode, please comment below. Whatever the case, this Plymouth doesn’t run and hasn’t moved since 1986. That being the case, the engine may not be salvageable, it just depends.

Regardless of receiving Motor Trend’s “1969 Car of the Year” award or whether or not this example is the “Real Deal” or not this Road Runner’s road running days are pretty far behind it. The seller tells that this is a “resto project but a good one”. The “resto project” part is spot on; the “good one” part is highly debatable especially when you consider the long term inactivity, which would seem to have occurred under adverse conditions. The almost postscript referencing this as a “Florida” car means nothing really. I know from very real experience that the salt air experienced along Florida’s very extensive Atlantic and Gulf coastlines causes rust and lots of it. And if it’s not that, it’s the 60 inches of annual, and frequently torrential, rainfall, much of it hurricane-induced, that an old car has to contend with – especially an old car left outdoors. I wouldn’t write this Road Runner off but it is going to be a significant undertaking in time, talent and dollars to make it right. Rust never sleeps and sometimes you have to disassemble something completely to find what you can’t see and arrest it completely. So, what do you say, worth taking on as a “resto project” or pass for a better example?

Comments

  1. Avatar stillrunners

    It’s in the east – what the heck do you expect ? Actually doen’t look bad but a closer look or more picture would help sale it. Still not asking a lot and not providing enough pictures to make a sale….did I say more pictures twice ?

    Like 6
  2. Avatar jerry z

    For less the $5K, it’s worth a shot to buy the RR. Too bad I have no room for another project!

    Like 3
  3. Avatar Steve R

    The 383/4spd is how it left the factory, 400/auto is what’s in it now. That helps explains why it has a thermoquad carburetor.

    It’s worth a look, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

    Steve R

    Like 9
  4. Avatar Michael Leyshon Member

    Another write up that makes this site entertaining ! As stated above, the price isn’t high and no bidding involved. Easy to be skeptical for good reason for sure! Without research, i’m thinking Chrysler did produce a 400 CID for police packages(?) Will follow the thread for some better info.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Steve R

      The 383 was discontinued at the end of the 1971 model year and was replaced by the 400 in 1972. It was just a typical update by Chrysler which had been done numerous times.

      Steve R

      Like 2
      • Avatar Jim ODonnell

        OK, got it! A 400 CI V8 engine with an automatic transmission. Thx

        Like 1
  5. Avatar SMDA

    “Parked”? More like dumped and left to rot.

    Like 4
  6. Avatar Troy s

    Wounded warrior, velocity stack, headers, who knows if the cam has been changed, I can’t access face book so I’m in the dark. Reminds me a little of the “12.99 for $1299” Road Runner from Cars magazine back in the eighties, a bit worse off, not much though.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Jon reeder

    This one is a pass unless you got unlimited cash to spend
    I saw it in person just today
    It’s horrible no interior rear frame rot
    Every panel needs replaced EVERY PANEl

    The chrome is there and in fair condition
    All lights are there and in fair/poor
    8-3/4 with 3:55 is what I was told

    Like 9
    • Avatar Jim ODonnell

      Thx Jon! There you have it readers, nothing like an in-person inspection.

      Like 3
    • Avatar sg

      “Florida car” in PA…that’s a deadly combination!

      Like 1
  8. Avatar Snotty

    Oh Ya! My older brother drove from Denver to the farm in West Kansas bout 72, in a “69” 4-Spd. Vitamin C Runner. Gave this 12 yr. Old kid a ride needless to say I was smitten.

    Like 2
  9. Avatar Del

    I would offer $49.00

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Jon reeder

    49 too much 😉

    Like 1
  11. Avatar George Mattar

    In 1973, my dad said I could buy my first car. A mile from our upstate PA home, Pike County, I found a turquoise 69 RR hardtop 383 4 speed. Mind you, this already rusty 4 year old car was in need of Bondo. The guy wanted $1,000. It would not start. My old man said NO. These cars were made on the cheap and that is the fact. Rust everywhere. I now live 45 minutes from this but based on the guy here saying he saw it I will pass. Sad. But it is the state of many 50 year old cars. I ended up buying a one owner FE5 70 RR with N96 for $1,200. No rust.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Bruce Fischer

    I will stick with my rust free 1969 Plymouth Satelitte,Thank you.Bruce.

    Like 0

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